Apparatus for making columns and the like



Aug. 16, 1932.

0. H. SAWYER APPARATUS FOR MAKING COLUMNS AND THE LIKE Filed March 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sh et 1 BY Sawyer" fi 6 ATTORNEY INVENTOIR CVH. SAWYER APPARATUS FOR MAKING COLUMNS AND THE LIKE Aug." 16, 1932.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 14. 1930 INVENTOR 63113020962 We ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1932 Wam- CLINTON n. SAWYER,

OF NEW YORK, N. Yr

APPARATUS FOR MAKING COLUMNS AND THE LIKE 7 Application filed March 14,1930. Serial No. 435,829. v

This invention relates to the making of columns of straight, tapered, or entasis form; and it is the object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for reducing the size of tubes or sections of arcuate shape in cross-section to smaller size of either straight, tapered, or entasis from for use as flagpoles, masts, booms, spars, and the like. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved die embodying adjustable members'to shape or draw tubing to reduced sizes and difi'erentshapes.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a supporting structure embodying parallel and spaced sills, a die carrier and support for the column to be shaped or formed being mounted upon and suspended between said sills and relative to which a column as it is formed is moved by a carriage mounted to travel upon the supporting sills. The die embodies a series of sectors disposed about and pivotally supported on the carrier at the vertex to have adjustment in the plane 5 of and toward and away from the axis of the carrier. The curved end of the sectors is in an arc eccentric to the axis and 'ofarcuate shape in cross-section and progressively narrowed from one end to the opposite end, each forming a segment of a circular die which is decreased in size by the adjustment of the sectors in one direction and increased when the sectors are adjusted in the opposite direction. Means are provided to adjust the 85 die members to variably decrease or increase the passage between the members, means also being provided to effect automatic adjustmentof the die members by the movement of the column through the die in the forming thereof, which adjustment is proportional to the travel of the column to produce a column progressively narrowed toward the end. I I

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 11 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and at the end of the die;

Figure 2 is a side elevation with a support- 11, the arcuate faces of the curved endsbeing sill removed to illustrate the operative parts;

Figures 3 and 4 are side and end elevations, respectively, of the die-carrying head; 7

Figures 5 and 6 are front and side ,elevations, respectively, of the actuator for the die-adjusting means mounted on the die-carrying head; 7

Figures 7 and 8 are sideand end elevations, respectively, of a die member; j

Figure 9 is a perspective view'of a column or tube arranged preparatory to forming it to tapered entasis form bydrawing or passing the tube through the die and Fig. 10 shows the finished product.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the supporting structure comprises a pair of parallel and laterally spaced sills or I-beams 9 mounted upon blocks S, preferably of concrete, spaced longitudinally of the sills. A die carrier is suspended in interposed relation between the sills at a point intermediatethe ends thereof by a supporting bracket 10 fixed upon and extending between the sills. This die carrier (Figures 3 and 4c) embodies a-tubular head portion 11 with the outer contour of rectangular shape in cross-section, and having pairs of par allelly and laterally spaced ears 12 extended beyond one end and laterally of the tubular portion with one ear of'each pair of ears arranged at a right angle to an ear of another pair of ears, as clearly shown in Figure 4.

The die comprises a series of members 13 of sector shape, shown in the present instance as four in number, the curved'side or end 14 of which sectors is arranged eccentric to the center on the axis of the sectors and having a groove 15 in the face thereof of arcuate shape in cross-section and progressively narrowed or tapered from the one end 15- to the, oposite end 15". These sectors are pivotally supported at the vertex between the pairs of ears 12 by pins 16 engaged in perforations 17 in the ears with the curved end 14 extending and adapted to have movement in the plane of the axis of the die-carrying head ing disposed about the axis of the die-car- 199 rying head to constitute segments of the die and the space between said faces constituting the opening through the die.

By the arranging of the curved end 14: cccentric to the axis 16 of the sectors the space or opening between said'fa ces'will be of greater extent when the sectors are adjusted to the position shown in Figure 2 with the larger end of the arcuate recess 15 in said faces opposed to each other, and as the sectors are moved or adjusted toposition the smaller end of the arcuate recess 15 in the faces in opposed relation to eachother said space will be diminished and the arcuate faces constitute a segment of a circle conforming to such diminished size. It will be;

obvious that by the gradual movement of the sectors that the space between the sectors will be gradually diminished and the arc of the segment will be correspondingly diminished.

'The sectors are simultaneously adjusted by racks 18, there being four in number equal to the number of the sectors, mounted to have longitudinal sliding movement in recesses 19 in the outer surface of the die-carrying head 11 adjacent to the base of an ear of each pair of ears 12. These racks mesh with gears 20 mounted on the pins 16 concentric of the pivot support of the sectors and connected thereto whereby the gears and sectors will have participating movement. The gears and sectors may be attached to each other and loosely mounted on the pins 16, or they may be fixed to the pins 16 and the latter rotatably mounted in the perforations of cars 12. To adjust the racks and thereby the sectors through the gears simultaneously the racks are connected to an actuator in the form of a collar 21 shaped to conform to the exterior cross-sectional shape of the headcarrying die and slidably mounted thereon, the inner wall. of the collar having recesse 21' therein for the engagement and securing of the racks 18 therein. It will be obvious that should the rack actuator 21lbe adjusted on the die-carrying head to the right from the position shown in Figure Qthat the sectors will be adjusted in the direction of movement of the rack actuator, and that the curved ends 14 of the sectors will be moved inthe plane and toward the axis of the diecarrying head, and when the rack actuator is adjusted in the opposite direction the sectors will be moved in the plane of and away from the axis of the die-carrying headv To reduce a column such as a tube or circular stoclr A to a smaller diameter the die sectors are adjusted to. accommodate the size of the work. The work is drawn through or between the die sectors by, engaging the end between the legs of a bifurcated portion 22 of a carriage C suspended between the supporting sills upon which the carriage is mounted to travel along the same, the work being connected with the carriage, by a pin In the method of forming a tubular 001- v umniof the same diameter throughout to tapered and entasis form, portions of the tube or column are first removed to provide tapered slots extended through one end and toward the opposite end by a milling cutter of suitable structure operating from one end of. the tube toward theother end and being progressively withdrawn laterally from the tube to form the converging walls, as shown at 25 in Figure 9, the tube in the present instance being arranged with two ofsuch slots 7 arranged diametrically opposite, although it maybe provided with a greater number of slots, which maybe desirable depending upon the diameter of the column or tube-to be reduced. By so slotting the tube or column the portions a between thefslots are of pro gressively reduced width from the apic es of the slots to the end. To shape the slotted column or tube to tapered entasis form '1 the unslotted end portion 26 of the column is" engaged between the die members and attached to the carriage as hereinbefore. described and as shown in Figure 2, when the column or work is drawn between the die members. To shape the slotted portion of the column to progressively reduced'or tapered and entasisform meansare provided operative from the travel of the carriage along the supporting sills to adjust the die members proportionally to the 1 travel or movement of thecolumn to effect a decrease in the space between the die members. This is effected by adj Listing the rack actuator 21 through atemplet or bar 27 having a cam edge 27 conforming to the desired shape or entasis to which the column is to be shaped, said templet bar being supported to have longitudinal sliding movement and connected with the carriage C, as at 28, to participate in the movement of the column or tube A.;

To operatively connect and adjust the rack actuator 21 from the templet bar a follower in the form of a flanged roller 29 engages and follows the cam edge of the templet, said roller being rotatably carried on aheaded stud-30 secured in a carrier 31 pivotally supported at one end from an arm 32 mounted on a shaft 33 supported at the ends in bearings 34: fixed upon the supporting sills 9. The opposite end of the roller carrier 31 is pivotally connected to an arm 35 fixed on a shaft 36 rotatably supported at the ends in hangers 37 fixed to or forming a part of and extended downward from thebearits ings 34;, said hangers being also supported intermediate the ends by the supporting sills by tie members 38 and spaced fromthe sills'by spacers 39, the hanger at the right as viewed in Figure 1 also carrying a support Ofor the templet 27. The shaft 36 is in the nature of arocl: shaft and is connected with the rack actuator 21 by a pair of arms ll fixed on said shaft and extending upward therefrom and connected with the rack actuator by links 42 pivotally connected to oppositesides of the rack actuator, as at 43. The parts are shown at the commencement of the operation of progressively narrowing the column or shaping it to tapered form in Fig ure 2,.in which position the templet follower 29 is at the commencement of the cam edge 27 of the templet. As the column is drawn between the die members and the follower rides upon the templet cam edge the follower carrier 31 will be raisedor moved transversely to the longitudinal movement of the templet thereby rocking the. shaft 36 and the arms41 and through the link connection 42 of the latter with the rack actuator 21 move said rack actuator to the right as viewed in Figure 2, and thus adjusting the die members to reduce the space between the faces of said die members, and effecting a shaping of the portions a of the column between the slots 25 to arcuate form in cross-section and the are extending through substantially 180 degrees, and simultaneously therewith bringing the edges 6, c of said sections or the walls of the slots into abutting relation, not only gradually lengthwise diminishing the cross-sectional area of the column but also maintaining it in circular shape andof entasis form. After the column has been so shaped the abutting walls are welded together, as by electric welding, which may be done simultaneously with the forming of the column as it is drawn between the die sectors.

The tubing which is reduced in cross-section and progressively narrowed from one end of the opposite end is of stock size, and should the length of the desired flagpole, mast, boom or spar come within such stock length only one section of tube length is required. However, should the length of the flagpole, mast, boom or spar be required to be of a length greater than a stock size then successive sections of tubing are reduced in cross-section and the sections united in an endwise relation, the successive sections being progressively narrowed to smaller size and united with the end of larger cross-section of successive sections in abutting rela tion to the smaller end of the adjacent section.

If desired the stock to start from may comprise two sections of like arcuate shape in cross-section with the are at one end extending through 180 degrees so that the longitudinal edges of one section at one end may i be brought into abuttingrelation with the longitudinaledgesat one end of the other section, as shown for illustrative purposes by dot and dash lines'25 in Figure 9, and form a .tubular portion at one end, which end constitutes the starting endv in themethod of reducing the plates so formed to tubular shape and progressively narrowed from one end to the opposite end, said ends with the longitudinal edges of one platein abutting relation to the longitudinal edges of the other plate, as indicated by dot and dash line 25 being positioned between the faces 14; of the die sectors 13 preparatory to the drawing of the tube sections through the die in the reducing of the same.

While Ihave illustrated and described one embodiment of apparatus for carrying out the method it willbe obvious that various modifications maybe made inconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the scope of the invention, andthat portions may be used without others and come within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In apparatus for reducing round metal stock to smaller diameter, a die embodying a series of members each having the face of arcuate shape in cross-section, a head on which said die members are pivotally mounted to have adjustment toward and away from the axis of the head, said members being circumferentially disposed about the axis of the head and the arcuate faces constituting segments of the die opening, and means to adjust said die members to increase and decrease the space between the faces of said members. 2. In apparatus for forming tapered columns, a die embodying a series of sectors, each sector having the curved face arranged of arcuate shape in cross-sectioma head upon which the sectors are pivotally mounted at the vertex to have movement on an axis transverse of the sector and in the plane of the axis of the support with the arouate face of each sector forming a segment of a circle,- and means to simultaneously adjust said sectors.

3. Apparatus for forming tapered col umns as claimed in claim2, wherein the arcuate face of the sectors progressively narrows from one end to the opposite end and is arranged eccentric to the pivotal support of the sector upon the head, whereby as the sectors are adjusted in one direction the space between the sectors is progressively decreased and when adjusted in the opposite direction progressively increased.

4. Apparatus for forming tapered columns as claimed in claim 2, wherein the means to adjust the sectors comprises gears concentric of the pivotal support of and movable with the sectors, and racks carried by hers.

the sector-carrying head to have longitudinal adjustment meshingwith'the gears.

5. Apparatus for forming tapered col- 1 umns as claimed in claim 2, wherein the arcu' ate face of the sectors progressively narrows from one'end to the opposite end and is arranged eccentric to the pivotal support of the sectors, and the means to adjust the sec tors comprising gears arranged concentric of the pivotal support of and movable with the sectors, racks meshing with said gears slidably carried by the head, and an actuator to which said racks are fixed 'slidable on the head. i is V 6. Apparatus for forming tapered columns as claimed in claim 2 wherein the sector-carrying head comprises a tubular member arranged with pairs of spaced and parallel ears extended beyond one end of and laterally from the tubular member and the arcuate faces of the sectors by the adjustment of the sectors adapted to be positioned beyond the tubular wall ofthe head. a

7. In apparatus for forming tapered columns, a supporting structure embodyin,

spaced and parallel sills, a die carrier and column support carried by and suspended between said sills, sector-shaped die members having the curved ends arranged eccentric to the axis of the sectors with the face of said ends of arcuate shape in cross-section and progressively narrowed from one end to the opposite end, said sectors being disposed about and pivotally mounted at. the vertex upon the die carrier with the curved faces to extend in the plane of the axis of the carrier and adapted to be adjustedto have movement in the plane and toward the axis of the carrier, means to actuate and effect adjustment of said die members, and means to draw a column as it is formed relative to the column support and between said die members and efiect adjustment of the die members toward the axis'of the die carrier in predetermined ratio to the longitudinal movement of the column. a

8. Apparatus for forming tapered columns as claimed in claim 7, wherein the means to draw the column relative to the die members comprises a carriage mounted to travel on the sills and arranged with means suspended between the sills for connection with the col mum, and a templet bar slidably supported to extend parallelly of the column and have longitudinal movement, said templet bar being connected with the carriage to partici pate in the movement of thecolumn and effect actuation of the means to adjust the die menr 9. Apparatus for forming tapered columns as claimed in claim 7, wherein'the means to effect adjustment of the die members comprises gears rotatable on the axis of the supportfor and connected with the die members,

racks slidably mounted on thedie icarrier meshing with the: gears, and an actuatorfto which the racks are connected slidable on the die carrier.- V A i 10. Apparatus for'forming tapered columns as claimed in claim 7, wherein the means to effect adjustment of the die men 'bers comprises gearsrotatable on the axis of and connected with the die members, racks slidably mounted'on the die carrier meshing with the'gears, a collar to which the racks are connected sli'dable on the die carrier to effect adjustment of the racks and thereby of the die members, a longitudinally movable templet'bar connected with the carriage to participate in the movement of the column and having an operative connection with and effecting adjustment of the rach-carryin g collar and racksiand thereby adjustment-of the die members.

ll. Apparatus for forming tapered columns as claimed in claim 7, wherein the means to effect adj ustment of the die members comprises gears connected with the die members concentric of the pivotal support thereof, racks meshing with said gears slidably mounted on the die carrier,a carrier for said racks slidable' on the die carrier to effect longitudinal adjustment of the racks, a templet bar slidably supported to have longitudinal movement and connected with the car riage to participate in the column advancing movement thereof, a templet follower, a pivoted support for said followerto have movement in a direction transversely of the movement of the templet by the travel of the templet relative to said followensaid support having an operative connection with and transmitting themovement thereof to the rack carrier and thereby effect adjustment of the die members. 12. Apparatus for forming tapered columns asclaimed in claim 7, wherein the means to effect adjustment of the die mem-' bers'comprises gears connected with'the die members concentric of the pivotal support thereof, racks meshing with said gears slidably mounted on the die carrier, a carrier for said racks slidable on the die carrier to eflect longitudinal v adjustment of the racks. a templet bar slidably supported to have longitudinal movement and connected with the said racks slidable on the die carrier to effect longitudinal adjustment of the racks, a templet bar slidably supported to have longitudinal movement and connected with the carriage to participate in the column advancing movement thereof, a templet following roller, a carrier for said roller, a pivoted support for said roller carrier to permit movement thereof transversely of the travel of the templet, and an arm participating in the movement of said roller carrier support having a link connection with the rack carrier to transmit the movement of the roller carrier to and efi ect adjustment of the rack carrier and thereby of the die members.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 21st day of February, A. D. 1930.

CLINTON H. SAWYER. 

